Linda’s inspiring weight-loss story, participation, and consistent support on the New Year’s Challenge Message Boards impressed judges. Over the course of the 14 week Challenge, Linda lost 30.5 pounds! And what a journey it has been! Just 6 months before joining SouthBeachDiet.com Linda had difficulty climbing up stairs — her knees and back ached from the extra weight she was carrying. Moreover, she had trouble focusing at work because she was always tired and had no energy by the end of the day. Today, Linda is a much slimmer and healthier person, exercising regularly and eating three balanced meals a day, including breakfast — something she never did before starting the South Beach Diet.

In her challenge-winning essay, Linda says one of the biggest obstacles she faced while losing weight was preparing meals for her family. They were used to eating refined sugary foods and always kept junk food around. But by taking advantage of the healthy and delicious recipes provided in the South Beach Diet Meal Plans, Linda now prepares nutritious meals that her entire family loves. “The meal planner and recipe search helped me find foods and recipes my family will love, not to mention it saves me time planning meals and when grocery shopping,” she says. “Other members and the Community volunteers have helped me adapt family recipes so they are South Beach Diet-friendly.”

Although Linda has not reached her goal weight, she is confident that the South Beach Diet is the right eating plan for her, and that she will be able to reach her weight-loss goal. “The Message Boards have helped me tremendously in this regard,” she says. “When I’ve tried to lose weight before, there was never anyone around that I could talk to who was going through the same thing. Now I can get support, encouragement, and advice whenever I need it.”

The most effective weight-loss strategy for Linda is portion control and making sure she exercises regularly. She says that exercise also helps her break-through weight-loss plateaus. “The weight doesn’t come off overnight. Enjoy the journey as much as you can and learn from it so that you don’t make the same mistakes again,” she says.

Before joining the 2010 New Year’s Challenge, Sharon F. (also known as dixieredhat on the Message Boards), was busy counting calories, had little energy, and felt depressed about her life. Today, Sharon is eating healthier, feeling more confident, and has a whole new outlook on life. Afraid that she would fall into her family lineage of diabetes, Sharon finally decided to take an active step to improve her health. Before the Challenge, Sharon lost 35 pounds following the South Beach Diet, but then hit a weight-loss plateau. The New Year’s Challenge was the motivation she was looking for — after 14 weeks Sharon dropped another 10 pounds for a combined weight-loss of 45 pounds! Sharon’s blood work also improved dramatically, and she lost extra inches off her waist.

What’s more Sharon picked up healthy habits along the way. “I was never energetic enough to exercise — I was always so tired. Now, I’m walking at least 2 miles a day, buying healthy foods like whole grains and veggies, and trying new recipes that in the past I wouldn’t look at, much less taste.”

Although Sharon lost weight during the Challenge, she says her biggest reward since following the South Beach Diet is getting rid of all her cravings. “I’ve been able to maintain my weight loss because I’ve learned to make the right food choices and I don’t give in to temptation. I check my blood sugar levels for diabetes once a month, and so far, I’m in good health.”

Sharon’s best advice for other members: “If you’re struggling with your weight loss, head to the Message Boards. Without the support and guidance from the South Beach Diet community."

For Jeanne, losing weight was more than just shedding the unwanted pounds — it was the newfound confidence, improved health, and happiness that came along with it. Prior to following the South Beach Diet, Jeanne was overweight, had high blood pressure, and suffered from sleep apnea. “My doctor looked me straight in the eye and said, ‘I can prescribe you medication until the day you die, or you can lose 50 pounds. It’s your choice.’ There was no way to sugar coat it — I really needed to hear that message.”

But after discovering the South Beach Diet through a friend, Jeanne lost 37 pounds (6.5 pounds during the New Year’s Challenge!) and is still continuing to lose. More importantly, Jeanne improved her health, strengthened her body, and renewed her confidence. Today, Jeanne enjoys following a healthy lifestyle. She bikes or walks at least 1 mile a day with her dog, eats nutritious, balanced meals, and has a better understanding about the importance of good nutrition.

In addition to following a healthy eating plan, Jeanne says what she likes most about the South Beach Diet is finding a community of friends who keep her motivated. “I was able to find friends within the South Beach Diet community who understand the obstacles I may face while losing weight. It’s nice to always have someone there to cheer you on.”

Jeanne says what helped her achieve her success was setting up realistic goals, improving her eating habits, and finding time to exercise. “Focus on your eating habits first and then work on adding fitness into your daily routine. If you don’t meet your goals, revise them. It’s all about learning what your body can do as you lose weight.”

Mary Elizabeth impressed the judges with her dedication to the South Beach Diet and her clever strategies for overcoming the obstacles she faced along the way. Yes, Mary Elizabeth lost weight, but even better, she regained energy and improved her health by starting to exercise regularly. According to Mary Elizabeth, "I'm amazed by how different my body feels. It's like that old saying, 'If you eat junk, you feel like junk, and if you eat whole foods, you feel whole.' Now I just feel so alive! I didn't realize that adopting the South Beach Diet lifestyle would change me at such a fundamental level."

As she explains in her winning essay, figuring out ways to start prepping meals in advance helped her overcome her biggest obstacle: finding time in her busy schedule to cook healthy meals during the week. She says, "I have two kids and I run my own business, so I often felt too tired to plan or cook my meals. But once I started the Challenge and decided to prioritize healthy eating, I found ways to make it happen. Now on weekends, I spend five minutes chopping up fresh veggies. Those go into a bag in the fridge, and during the week I add a few handfuls to some lettuce or spinach leaves and I have a tasty salad just like that! I also sauté mushrooms, onion, spinach and bell pepper ahead of time and add them to eggs for a quick and healthy scramble in the morning. These steps have made my life so much easier during the week!"

Prior to joining the New Year's Challenge, Diana was borderline hypertensive and 100 pounds overweight. Finally, after a painful divorce, it hit her that she needed to focus on improving her health. And she did just that! After several weeks on the South Beach Diet, Diana dropped 36 pounds and two dress sizes.

"Before the Challenge, I mindlessly ate whatever was convenient. All I wanted was immediate gratification," Diana says. "But now I am aware of how my food choices affect my health, so I've learned to make conscious decisions about what I eat." Diana's favorite part of the South Beach Diet is that it has empowered her to take control of her eating habits without forcing her to eat foods she doesn't like.

Now, at age 50, Diana has a renewed sense of confidence and enjoys cooking healthy meals and staying active. Recently she hiked two and a half miles during a trip to the Grand Canyon. "Never in a million years did I think I would be able to do such an intense trek. It was incredible." Diana's best piece of advice: "Don't rely too much on the scale. Instead, focus on how much better you feel. It's all about the journey - you're not in it for the five or six months to lose the weight - you're in it for life."

Last summer, Deirdre took one look at the photos from a family trip and knew she had to do something about her weight. "I didn't even recognize myself!" she recalls. Soon after, she joined SouthBeachDiet.com and then signed up for the New Year's Challenge.

In her essay, Deirdre explains how the competitive aspect of the Challenge helped her ditch the excuses and make exercise a priority. "I joined a gym, and now I actually get antsy if I miss a few workouts," she says. "I used to get so winded walking up the three flights of stairs to my office. My legs felt like lead. But now that I've lost 30 pounds I can run up them!"

In addition to her newfound enthusiasm about exercise, Deirdre has developed clever strategies to help her make healthy food choices. "I write down everything I eat - it helps me stay focused. And before I dine out, I look up the menu online. Once I get to the restaurant, I've already picked out something healthy, so I'm less likely to get tempted." She adds, "I have learned so much from following the South Beach Diet and participating on the Message Boards. I know I can reach and maintain my goal weight. Plus, I'm about to get my husband started on the South Beach Diet, too!"

Kelli impressed the judges with her dedication to the South Beach Diet and her clever strategies for overcoming the obstacles that she faced along the way. Yes, Kelli lost weight, but even better, she regained energy and boosted her health by stabilizing her blood-sugar levels. According to Kelli, "I never thought I would get to where I am now, at almost halfway to my goal weight. It feels pretty good!"

As she explains in her winning essay, a creative idea helped her overcome her biggest obstacle: finding the motivation to exercise. She says, "I'm a stay-at-home mom of two little girls, and I don't have anyone here to exercise with. But I do talk on the phone daily with my best friend, who lives in Texas. Surprisingly, our daily chat ended up solving my exercise dilemma. I dusted off my treadmill, my friend bought one of her own, and we started walking for three miles each day during our hour-long phone conversations. We're planning to step it up to four miles a day!"

Before

After

Throughout the Challenge, Jamie learned that eating the South Beach Diet way kept her fueled and energized, which helped her adhere to her exercise routine. She notes that, "The South Beach Diet has shown me that eating healthy can be a lifelong change - without being a sacrifice! I feel so much better on the Beach, and it's only going to improve from here!" Way to go, Jamie!

Before

After

The New Year's Challenge helped Kim rev up her activity levels. According to Kim, "The weekly New Year's Challenge assignments really helped a lot! I went from only getting physical activity when I took my students to Science Camp, to eventually going on a six-mile hike and joining a gym. I now work out four days a week. In the beginning, fitness just seemed so HUGE to think about, so the mini-goals really helped."

Before

After

Mary won points for her enthusiasm and dedication to the South Beach Diet. Her constant presence on the Boards was inspiring, and her final essays were very thoughtful. As Mary explains, "This was a step-by-step journey to a healthier body." Here is an excerpt from her entry:

"Over the weeks, I have learned many tricks to work my way around problems with overeating and grazing. One of the Journal entries asked what I would do if I was thinner. Well, after writing about those things I would do, I put off waiting for that thinner day to come! I joined a gym and started a tai chi class. Both of these activities have helped me to feel more alive and younger. I don't know why I felt that I had to be slimmer to join. Thanks to the thought I gave to the Journal entry, I decided to get into life with more passion and activity."